Hematological and serum biochemical changes in gilts experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei.

Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to study the hematological and serum biochemical changes in domestic cross breed female gilts infected with Trypanosoma brucei parasites. Twelve gilts were purchased from piggeries in Zaria Nigeria and housed in clean, fl y proof pens in two groups of six infected and six controls. The gilts in the infected group were inoculated with approximately 1.8 × 106 Trypanosoma brucei parasites. All the inoculated gilts developed clinical trypanosomosis after a prepatent period of three (3) days. Signifi cant differences (P<0.05) were observed in the mean values of Packed Cell Volume (PCV), total white blood cells and differential leukocytes count, serum proteins, aspartate amino transferase, creatine kinase, potassium, inorganic phosphates and calcium between the infected gilts and the controls. The implication of these fi ndings in the pathology of trypanosomosis in this species is discussed.